1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a line arrangement for a motor vehicle, preferably a commercial vehicle, in particular a lorry or an omnibus. The line arrangement is configured, in particular, for a waste heat utilization system for the conversion of waste heat of an internal combustion engine into utilizable energy.
2. Description of the Related Art
In motor vehicles, media, sometimes also flammable media, often have to be guided past internal combustion engines, which are hot during operation, with constricted space conditions. In systems for waste heat utilization (Waste Heat Recovery=WHR) of internal combustion engines, steam circuit processes (for example, Clausius Rankine Cycle=CRC, Organic Rankine Cycle=ORC, etc.) are used. Here, a circuit medium is brought to a high pressure level in a feed pump and is evaporated and superheated in an evaporator. The steam is subsequently fed to an expansion machine that converts the energy stored in the steam into mechanical work. Downstream of the expansion machine, the relieved steam is liquefied in a condenser and is fed to the feed pump again. Line arrangements used to this end usually utilize, depending on the working medium, rigid stainless steel pipes with, for example, cutting ring fittings. As an alternative, high pressure hoses with suitable screw connections can also be used in regions at a low temperature. Stainless steel lines have the disadvantage, in particular, that they are firstly intensive with regard to material costs, weight, and manufacturing costs (for example, three-dimensional bending of the line contour). Secondly, expensive additional elements have to be installed, such as compensators for vibration decoupling and stainless steel cutting ring fittings for connecting the stainless steel pipes. High pressure hoses from the hydraulic field have, in particular, the disadvantage of low resistance to some ORC media and, moreover, a high weight. In addition, they are expensive and less flexible on account of the inner construction, in particular on account of braided wire inserts.